Acaédmie de Magie Beauxbâtons
by Ineffably Serene
Summary: In his veins, flows the blood of the Potters. However, despite them being alive, he finds himself being raised a Black. This is the story of Harry Potter, or rather Hadrian Arcturus Black, Sirius' only son and heir to the Ancient and Noble House of Black. Pairings undecided. Most likely Harry/Fleur or Harry/Daphne. Semi - AU Plot.
1. Chapter 1 - The Stink of Destiny

**Chapter 1 - The Stink of Destiny**

 **Main Pairings: Harry - Fleur/Daphne.** (I'm heavily inclined towards Fleur but whether that becomes the final pairing or not, both girls should have a substantial role to play in this fiction) I'm still undecided, I guess I'll just go along with the flow and see how the story progresses. And of course, taking your valuable input into consideration as well, we shall come to a conclusion.

 **Warnings:** Some parts may be slightly graphic for young readers. Viewer discretion is advised (I've always wanted to say that!)

 **Disclaimer:** Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling; I own nothing you recognize and all the ideas you don't. This is a semi-AU fiction, though I'll try and merge with cannon as much as I can. The story will have a few ideas here and there picked up from other fictions and some parts of it are heavily inspired by the works of Miranda Flairgold.

 **Plot:** This fiction revolves around Harry, who is not the BWL. (I'm sorry, his twin sister is! Whatabitch!) No, he's not hated or ignored —I've always found that plotline rather silly.

I'm trying something different, something I haven't seen so far. A story where Harry is raised by Sirius, his godfather in the House of Black upon the request of his parents. Okay, that's been done before, I agree. However, Harry ends up going to **Beauxbatons** instead of Hogwarts. There, that's a nice idea, I think.

* * *

 **Chapter 1:**

It begins as a whisper, a promise. The lightest of breezes dances through the trees, rustling of the desperate cries and screams of the thousands that now lay dead. That breeze, a promise, became wind. A wind that had blown across the magical world carrying a message told again and again, of a beacon of hope. A wind of sacrifice. A wind of freedom. A wind of justice.

A wind of vengeance.

 _The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches…_ _born to those who have thrice defied him,_ _born as the seventh month dies…_

It were those very prophesized words brought to him by one of his most loyal followers on that cursed evening that truly instilled in the dark lord, a bone rending chill of dread. A feeling so foreign, his mind wouldn't—couldn't comprehend it. It was on that fateful evening that the man who proclaimed himself the dark lord Voldemort, felt himself surrendering to fear for the first time; the words of the prophecy haunting his mind with a vengeance.

He found it ironic how the very emotion he instilled into the hearts and the minds of those weak men, women and children was now, very slowly taking over him with the mere thought of a child foretold of being born with the power to vanquish him.

His one true weakness, the fear of death developed within him as an emotion so overwhelming, it clawed at his very soul, leaving him in a state of delirium.

The words of the prophecy had whispered the seed of madness that would forever consume him. It gave rise to feelings so perverse, a rage-fuelled unfathomable obsession border lining insanity ravaged his mind, leaving him screaming on the inside; a bellowing crescendo that only he could hear.

 **Godric's Hollow – October 31st, 1981**

The wind rustled through the trees as the air turned cold with midnight's powers. The town of Godric's Hollow seemed to flinch in silence as an undesired figure appeared upon the cobblestone streets.

The shadows themselves seemed to curve upwards to the man, craving an embrace. Yet, forward he moved, not a sound was heard as he departed from the spot of his apparition.

Today was a very special day to those in their religious observance of Samhain. The day that marked summer's end and the beginning of winter, the dark half of the year. The time when the veil between worlds was said to be very thin.

This very evening would mark the date he'd put an end to that cursed prophecy and prove even the fates wrong. For five long months he searched and searched and now his efforts were finally bearing fruit.

Tonight was about making one final statement. He'd prove to the world that nothing, no one would come—could come between him and greatness he envisioned. The world was soon to witness the dawn of a new age; the golden age, his reign awaited him.

The man strode forward with a sense of purpose, his eyes blazed like scarlet coals.

Magical blood was to be spilt tonight. The thought didn't ache his heart, it never would. Killing was but second nature to him, however, slaughtering purebloods would anger those that were in favour of his cause. Nonetheless, eliminating one of the pillars of the light did seem rather appealing. He was, after all, striking at the heart of Dumbledore's circle.

Tonight he would make his point loud and clear; nowhere was safe, no one was safe. Anyone that dared defy him would fall at his hand.

There were three children born to the end of July. His information was absolute, its source well trusted. Lady Longbottom had given birth to a baby boy at St. Mungo's. The Potters, twins. The latter, he would never have known were it not for the loyal Severus.

Lady Potter was an intelligent woman no doubt, having given birth in hiding, a valiant attempt at concealing the news of her childbirth. It was pointless, there was no hiding from him.

He stopped mulling over his thoughts, his destination in sight at the end of the old fashioned street.

The Fidelius was broken.

So serene and peaceful it seemed, the two-story cottage that stood a little ahead; its inhabitants happily oblivious of the horrors that awaited them.

A small smile graced his lips. It had been a while since he'd felt such exhilaration, such…pleasure at the thought of eradicating another family. Their deaths would serve proof of the final testament of his will. No one could oppose him, his power was unparalleled. He was peerless. He was supreme.

Tonight, he would cement that fact in stone.

As he approached the cottage, his smile was soon replaced by a frown. The magical presences he sensed were not the ones he had expected. The Potters it seemed, weren't at home. Had they left their children in the care of a stranger? A member of the Order perhaps?

They were growing overconfident, they had grown careless. This carelessness would cost them their children. Yes, it would cost them dearly.

An eldritch smile returned to his lips, he was but moments away now.

Slowly, he drew his wand from beneath his cloak; the yew stick comprising of a feather of the phoenix almost as if sensing it's master's eagerness, hummed with power. In a flash, anti-apparition and anti-portkey wards were up. There would be no escaping him; not this time.

With another quick jab of his wand, a loud boom was heard echoing across the street. The remaining wards had been breached, crumbling to shreds under the onslaught of sheer power.

To believe they had thought such paltry wards would keep him out only showed how much faith they had put in the Fidelius. Faith they had put in a…friend, one that had so easily betrayed them. He smiled, they were pathetic.

A shrill alarm pierced the night, a stark contrast to his silent demeanour.

Dumbledore would be here soon, there was little time to waste.

The old iron fence bore slight signs of rust, only showing further how old this home truly was. The gates groaned in protest as they were forced open, or perhaps they were moaning at the fact that they were betraying their masters? It didn't matter.

The front door was unhinged and blasted away with a fantastic explosion as he smoothly glided in, eyes that radiated power quickly scanning the interiors of the room.

A muffled shriek was soon followed by the slamming of a door. Did she not realise she was only stalling the inevitable? It would allow her a minute at most.

He ascended the steps at his leisure, all the while listening with faint amusement at her feeble attempts to barricade herself. Did she truly believe it would stop him?

With a lazy flick of his hand, the door was forced open, furniture that was hastily piled against it flung aside, scattered all across the nursery. She stood right before the cot, trembling, her wand held with both her hands pointed between his eyes.

"You would die for them?" He asked, his voice barely audible.

"Please, please, I beg you, don't do this!" The woman pitifully whimpered, tears streaming down her face.

He found her behaviour most curious. He provided her with an opportunity, yet this was the fate she chose for herself.

A flash of green light encompassed the room; the woman slumped to the floor with a thud, lifeless eyes bored into the ceiling.

A sinister smile made its way to the dark lord's lips as he walked past her corpse and stood before the cot. This was the end; it was time.

And as he gazed down upon the innocent babes harmlessly lying before him, a moment appeared; which of the two would he strike down first? The fates would let the dark lord decide. A moment that would ring across the centuries. A moment that would forever go down as a miracle in the histories. A moment, which would raise the babe he now stared down upon from a simple girl to a revered legend.

Even before the curse struck her, the dark lord realised in his heart that he had made a grave mistake; for it was her brother whose glowing emerald eyes had the stink of destiny about them.

And as he watched in stunned disbelief, the one curse that had not once failed him miraculously rebound off the girl, the dark lord knew it was that boy he should have killed. Little did he know, that his perilous mistake, would forever haunt him.

* * *

 **Author's Note –**

The first paragraph of the story is inspired by '300 – Rise of an Empire'

Thank you, Serenity


	2. Chapter 2 - A Mother's Love

**Chapter 2 – A Mother's Love**

 **Castle Black – July 31** **st** **, 1991**

A boy roused to the sound of the cheerful chirping of birds. Morning sunlight filtered in through the slit, between the curtains of his bedroom window.

Glancing at the clock once, he lazily pulled the snug quilt closely against himself burying his face back into the soft velvety pillows, allowing himself a few more precious minutes of sleep.

Soon enough, soft melodious chimes of a clock resonated across the room _. It was seven already?_

Realising he only had about an hour, he dragged himself out of bed for a long gratifying shower subsequently donning the clothes and accessories laid out for him.

A young female pixie popped into existence beside him. She wore an elegant black skater dress, the crest of the ancient and noble house of Black etched upon her left breast.

Pixies were a wee bubbly spirits. A magical race that were popularly found in dense forest and preferred keeping to themselves. They looked very much alike humans the only differentiating factor between them being their small stature and the beautiful wings that emerge from their back.

The pixie that hovered before him, was about the size of his hand. She hand angelic face with mischievous violet eyes and blonde hair, two sets of beautiful wings that mirrored the colour of her eyes fluttered behind her.

They were an intelligent, peaceful and highly magical race and it was a rare occurrence to see one associate with humans.

He had come across Selene by sheer dumb luck one evening at a tender age of nine as he had attempted to explore the forest around the manor against his father's wishes and had ended up getting lost in the bargain. It was young Selene that had found him and eventually led him home.

The wee spirit had developed an interest in and a liking for the boy in the little time spent with him and had started visiting him often when he would play in the gardens of the manor.

She had eventually taken such a liking to him that she ended up choosing the young wizard and magically bonding herself to him.

"Happy Birthday Harry" Selene smiled, pulling him into a delicate embrace which he carefully returned.

Releasing him, she opened her small palms to reveal a simple yet elegant obsidian chain holding an amethyst the shape of a tear.

"It's a pendant of safety and luck, the amethyst is my sacred stone and has my blessings." She explained as she helped him wear it.

"It's beautiful, thank you," Harry whispered, pulling her back into a meaningful hug.

Releasing her, he spared one final glance at the mirror. He was slightly tall for an eleven year old. He took pride in his athletic build for he was neither fat nor scrawny; his daily exercise made sure of it. A simple yet elegant diamond stud filled the sole piercing of his left ear. He possessed his father's long lustrous black hair which fell into his striking emerald eyes with a sort of casual elegance.

"You can admire yourself all you want later. It wouldn't bode well to keep them waiting." Selene smirked. He didn't bother with a retort, she had a point.

Satisfied with his scrutiny, he made his way towards the door. It was going to be a long day, at least he was excused from the rigorous morning exercise schedule he usually followed.

Leaving his room, he made his way down the stairs and into the dining hall just in time for breakfast. The four members of his family were already seated, awaiting him.

At the head of the table, sat his great grandfather, the Baron Arcturus Black, current head of the House of Black. To his left sat his great grandmother, the Lady Melania Black; seated beside her was his great grand aunt Cassiopeia and right opposite her sat his father, Sirius.

Politely greeting everyone, he took his seat beside Sirius.

"The dung bombs didn't go off father," Harry smirked, as he casually helped himself to some fruits.

"Your trainer wand?" He inquired with a frown.

"Was with grandfather of course" Harry interjected.

Sirius's frown further grew until it finally clicked and he then scowled at Selene who smiled back innocently.

"Damn Pixie" Sirius muttered irritably.

"There, there Sirius. I'm sure there'll come other opportunities" Cassiopeia reassured.

"Which will fail" Harry casually returned glancing at Serene as she winked back at him.

"I'll find a way around her" Sirius vowed, still scowling darkly at the little pixie.

"It can wait, we are expecting guest this evening." Melania added softly, smiling fondly at father and son.

"Hadrian, Mr. Ollivander should be here within the next fifteen minutes. I expect you to be in my study in time." Arcturus said in a no nonsense tone as he rose, leaving the dining room.

The man was old yet had a very strong presence about him and there were very few people that dared cross him. He carried himself proudly and stood tall, his most noticeable feature being his sharp and calculative steely grey eyes.

Arcturus had taken it upon himself to raise the boy into the perfect pureblood heir worthy of the House of Black. It very much ensured that young Harry's life so far was no walk in the park.

"Yes sir" Harry answered politely, already hurrying with his breakfast.

"I'll see you in the study, son" Sirius added ruffling his hair, not forgetting to direct one last scowl at the pixie on his way out.

"Eat to your hearts content child, Mr. Ollivander can wait a while" Melania spoke in a comforting tone, sensing Harry's urgency.

Harry nodded his gratitude, hurrying nonetheless. Mr. Ollivander could wait but no one in their right mind would keep the Baron Black waiting. Even the scoundrel that was Sirius Black was well behaved in his presence.

*Scene Break*

After a short breakfast, Harry quickly made his way to Arcturus' study. He could barely curb his anticipation at the prospect of finally possessing a wand tailored to suit his needs.

No more trainer wands.

Disguising his enthusiasm under a calm and collected façade, he knocked upon the big mahogany door and waited patiently.

The door slowly swung open and Harry walked in his eyes vigilantly scanning the room, instantly falling upon a frail old man. The wand maker it seemed was already here.

"Ah, you must be young the Hadrian Arcturus Black" Mr. Ollivander said in soft voice.

"Good morning Mr. Ollivander. Thank you for coming." Harry greeted shaking the man's offered hand, slightly taken aback. He hadn't expected the man to know his full name.

"Shall we get right to it then?" The frail man asked, his wide pale eyes shining like moons as he studied the boy.

Harry nodded slowly, now very aware of the wand maker's passive magic that was already at play.

"Right-handed I presume?" Mr. Ollivander asked, a speculative glint in his eyes.

"Yes sir" Harry answered.

"Stay still" Mr. Ollivander commanded, finally drawing his wand casting a chain of spells, none of which Harry recognised. In his opinion, they sure seemed complicated, if those intricate wand movements were anything to go by.

But then again, this was unfamiliar territory and all those wand movements could might as well have been unnecessary and just for show. Harry suspected the involvement of family magic. The wand maker did after all come from a family that had been renowned for producing some of the best of wands for centuries now.

Finally satisfied with his results, the old man then addressed Arcturus.

"I will require the boy's blood," Ollivander deduced.

"Which will strictly be used solely for the purpose of crafting him his wand. A magical vow for the same is mandatory." Arcturus firmly stated, leaving no room for a negotiation.

"I have a request to make of you as well Mr. Ollivander" Harry spoke, facing the man.

"And what would that be?" The old man asked, with an unnerving stare.

"I'd like you to make them the core ingredients of my wand, if it's possible that is." Harry answered, presenting the wand crafter with a slim wooden box.

"They were offered to me" Harry added.

Mr. Ollivander accepted the box, opening it carefully.

"This is most surprising Mr. Black. I shall see what I can do" He finally said with a thoughtful expression as he studied the boy carefully.

Harry nodded his thanks.

With a quick and strictly worded magical vow, the wand maker had extracted Harry's blood into a tiny vial and departed the manor promising to have the wand crafted and delivered within the next twenty four hours.

The man had left in a hurry looking rather enthusiastic, softly muttering to himself all the way out.

"Leave us Sirius" Arcturus commanded.

"But it's Harry's birthday! Surely you could excuse him from his lessons for a day?" Sirius exclaimed horrified.

"Get out you insolent mutt. Do not make me curse your rabid arse out of here." Arcturus warned with a dangerous edge to his voice, wand in hand.

But it wasn't required; Sirius had already fled the room before the man had even completed his sentence.

Harry couldn't help but allow a small smile to escape his lips. Nothing scared Sirius as much as an enraged Lord Black. The man was mortally scared of his great grandfather.

He took a seat across the aging man. Contrary to his father's beliefs, he actually enjoyed his lessons with his great grandfather in spite of how challenging and exhausting they could get.

Arcturus wouldn't accept anything besides flawless perfection and was nothing short of ruthless when it came to Harry's training. This compelled the boy to strive much harder in order to meet the man's expectations.

But young Harry wouldn't have it any other way. The Blacks were renowned for producing some of the most powerful witches and wizards in European history. They were rightfully respected and feared and Harry would do whatever it took to live up to his family's legacy.

"Have you finished mastering the shield charm yet?" Arcturus inquired.

"I will have learned it to my satisfaction by the end of the week" Harry answered sincerely.

"Then we shall put it to the test this coming Sunday; you better be prepared." He warned.

Harry nodded solemnly.

"You have been practicing your Occlumency diligently" Arcturus observed.

"Yes sir, every night" Harry answered.

Sensing a discreet probe, Harry immediately focused on clearing his mind like he'd practiced over the last few months; trying his best to shield himself from the uninvited presence.

"You have learned well" Arcturus decided with an appreciative nod.

Harry's face morphed into a triumphant grin, his great grandfather praising him was a rare occurrence.

Arcturus observed the boy with a calculative stare.

"Now then let us see how long you fare against a full onslaught," Arcturus declared, his wand once again appearing in his hand within a flash of a second, "Legilimens!" he whispered as he dove into the boy's mind.

Harry barely had a second to react. He could already feel the alien presence within his head and did his utter best to clear his mind. The pressure of the foreign presence was overwhelming, yet he stood his ground attempting his very best to remain calm and focus simply on his breathing and maintaining his concentration.

He fought valiantly and managed to keep his thoughts secure for a while, but clearly it was not close to long enough. Arcturus was a good legilimens and the force behind his relentless attacks proved far too much for Harry.

Minute later Harry succumbed to the onslaught as his great grandfather's study swam out of focus and vanished as random image after image raced before his eyes and soon enough, memories began flashing before his vision…

He was seven, snuffles playfully chasing him around the manor as he gleefully laughed attempting his best to outrun the dog…He was nine, a trainer wand in his hand; attempting his first spell before his great grandfather…He found himself in the crushing embrace of a girl his age with crimson red hair and hazel eyes as he hugged her back with a soft smile…Selene planting a light kiss upon his forehead, declaring herself bound to him…A large beautiful skeletal winged horse nuzzling his hand…A woman with blood red hair and bright emerald eyes ruffling his hair with a fond smile…

Seconds later the link was broken and Arcturus' study was one more in his view. He found himself back in his seat, gasping for air, his vision still swimming.

"You have improved significantly. You can successfully clear your mind at will, but you simply need experience with defending your mind against prolonged and direct onslaughts." Arcturus concluded. "And that, is my responsibility, Legilimens!"

And that was how Harry spent the rest of his day practicing hard into the early evening, until he had performed to Arcturus' satisfaction and only then was he released from his study in order to freshen up and dress appropriately for the guest that were expected to arrive within the hour.

He would have to at least look presentable.

It was his birthday after all.

*Scene Break*

Harry didn't bother with fancy clothes all that much but he had an eye for quality. For tonight's occasion, he was wearing a simple yet elegant black dress robe with a silver trim. The robe itself was made of acromantula silk and was tailored to fit him perfectly.

He found himself in the grand foyer, awaiting the guest that were expected to arrive.

He didn't have to wait long as the fire burst into life depositing a rather imposing figure who stood a good six feet tall. He was a well-built man that strongly reminded Harry of his great grandfather, though he seemed a tad bit younger, with black hair and brown eyes that nearly glowed with repressed power.

Only a moment passed when the fire burst into life once more and woman in her early sixties stepped out. She had a lithe figure with long, thick black hair, very delicate features and the most beautiful light grey eyes.

She walked forward and stood by her husband favouring Harry with a familiar loving smile.

Harry patiently waited for the rest of the family to arrive and soon enough three more individuals had walked out the flames.

"Baron Potter, Lady Potter. I would personally like to thank you and the rest of your family for joining us in celebration this evening. Welcome to Castle Black" Harry intoned with practiced ease, bowing low showing his respect for the couple before him.

"Nonsense child you are as a grandson to us, we wouldn't miss it for the world," Dorea Potter nee Black admonished him enveloping him in a warm hug.

Charlus nodded firmly agreeing with his better half.

The man approached Harry and grasped his hand in a firm handshake.

"Happy Birthday Harry, you are growing up into a fine young man" Charlus acknowledged.

Before Harry had the opportunity to respond, he was tackled by a red blur and found himself in the familiar embrace of Rose Potter, the only child of James and Lily Potter, his godparents.

"Happy Birthday Harry!" Rose exclaimed cheerfully.

Rose was by far one of the most carefree girls Harry had ever met. Life was always a wild adventure for her and Harry had no doubt she'd wreak havoc at Hogwarts. She was the kind of girl that didn't give a damn about what the world thought of her. She'd do her thing anyway.

In Harry's opinion, she clearly took after her father. Yet, she was just as passionate as her mother.

"Wish you the same Rose" Harry responded softly, returning her embrace.

Yes, they were actually born only hours apart. Rose being the elder one by a few. Harry strongly disagreed. He believed she couldn't possibly be his age much less older than him.

"We can finally buy our wands now!" Rose exclaimed. "I've already made dad promise he'd take me to Diagon Alley first thing in the morning." She spoke loudly, making sure her father had heard her.

James sighed, there was no arguing his way out of this with his daughter. She was just as stubborn as Lily if not more so and if that wasn't enough, the girl had inherited her mother's fiery temper.

"It's already been decided we're going Rose, there's no need to keep reminding your father" Lily returned with finality.

Rose looked like she had more to say on the matter but kept her thoughts to herself and resorted to pouting instead.

Harry smiled as he observing her fondly, quite used to her antics.

"Happy Birthday sweetheart," Lily said softly, enveloping him in a light hug.

"Thank you Aunt Lily" Harry answered, hugging her back.

Lily frowned as she released him.

"You know it wouldn't hurt to call me mum once in a while" Lily remarked thoughtfully. "Or all the time really," she added with a smile.

"We wouldn't want to give father ideas now do we? You know how rabid a mutt he is, always latching onto whatsoever he can get his hands on" Harry retorted with a smirk, careful not to directly reject her advances for fear of hurting her feelings.

Lily had always tried to get him to refer to her as mum and each time he'd find a different way to diplomatically avoid the topic. But this of course didn't deter Lily from trying over and over. This was the thousand and seventh time she had tried now? Harry was starting to lose count. It had become their little game.

Harry of course didn't mean to offend her. She was his godmother and had always done her best to fill into the role of a motherly figure in his life, and he highly appreciated what she did for him yet at the same time, she wasn't his mother. She never would be.

The Dark Lord Voldemort had denied him a chance at a life with his mother.

She had sacrificed her life for him, dying with the hope that he would live. No one would ever, could ever take her place.

Lily's frown had now become a whole lot more prominent as James and Charlus barked a laugh, Rose following soon after with a fit of giggles.

Dorea watched the two with a sad smile.

"Come Harry, let us not keep the mutt waiting too long then. He's got the patience of a child." James laughed putting a hand on the boy's shoulders, leading him to the great hall. He had of course been here countless times over the years and knew his way around the castle.

The rest followed in toe.

Harry settled into a sofa and watched as both families breezed through traditional formalities and were now comfortably conversing among themselves.

The House of Black was very much revered by some and feared by most in the country. They were considered a very powerful house; each member taking pride in its long standing legacy.

The Blacks and the Potters had developed a long standing alliance that began in the later stages of the wizarding war with Gellert Grindelwald.

Arcturus and Charlus were on the forefront of the war, each for reasons of their own and had become fast friends strongly leading the resistance against the dark fraction.

This alliance was only further strengthened when Charlus and Dorea Black, Arcturus' cousin sister fell in love and tied the knot post the war.

The House of Black had lost many of its own to the rise of Voldemort and both the families had now only gotten closer after the fall of the dark lord.

To Harry they seemed like one big extended family.

Time passed quickly as evening progressed into night and soon enough it was time to cut the cake.

Harry and Rose found themselves holding a knife and blowing the candles together as both families stood surrounding the delicious cake that Lily had baked for the occasion.

And as Lily lovingly watched both children cut the cake and feed one another a morsel, a deep sense of longing tore at her heart as she stared at the boy who wore a well-practiced impassive countenance which found itself betrayed by the amused glint in his stunning emerald eyes, her eyes.

 _Happy Birthday, my son._

 **Author's Note -**

The next chapter should be out in a week? I'm honestly making it up as I go, so it may take a while. 

Thank you,  
Serenity


	3. Chapter 3 - Toujours Pur

**Chapter 3 – Toujours Pur**

 **Castle Black – July 31** **st** **, 1991**

 _Acaédmie de Magie Beauxbâtons_

 _Dear Mr Black,_

 _We are pleased to inform you that you have been invited to the Beauxbatons Academy of Magic. Your trial will be conducted on the 1_ _st_ _of September, should you choose to accept._

 _We await your response by no later than the 31_ _st_ _of July._

 _Yours sincerely,_

 _Madame Olympe Maxime  
Headmistress _

Harry scrutinised the letter in his hands. He had two more similar envelopes, one from the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and the other from the Durmstrang Institute of Magic; both lying unopened on his study table.

A response had to be sent soon and he was running out of time. Harry had given careful consideration to all three schools of magic, and his heart wanted nothing more than to go to Hogwarts; the school where his father and mother studied at, however he had been made well aware of the falling standards of teaching at the once prestigious school. Sirius had insisted that he should be sent to Hogwarts, but the head of House Black was very much against it and had put his foot down.

Hogwarts was no longer an option.

This left him with either Beauxbatons or Durmstrang. Both schools were very good educational establishments in their own right and had each produced some of the most renowned wizards over the centuries. They were both very good prospects.

It wasn't a simple decision one could make on a whim for it would directly impact the next eight years of his life and Harry had spent the last four months researching both schools as much as he could; however all three institutions treasured their secrets and protected them well pushing him to the extent of contacting their alumnus in search of further substantial information to help influence his decision.

Having discussed both prospects at great length with his father and great grandfather, he had finally come to a decision.

Fetching his quill, black ink and parchment from one of the drawers, he prepared his response and waiting long enough for the ink to dry he folded the parchment carefully slipping it into an envelope.

Harry paused briefly, his heart racing.

Now was not the time to second guess himself. He had made a decision and he would stick by it. Effectively dismissing all qualms pertaining to his decision, he poured hot wax over the flap of the envelope and pressed his heir ring into the cooling wax.

As long as the seal was unbroken, it could be assumed that the letter was genuinely from a member of the House of Black.

"Selene" Harry called, staring at the envelope one last time.

The exuberant spirit appeared before him, mischievously flying an entire circle around him and settled upon his shoulders.

"Would you please make sure this reaches Madame Maxime?" Harry asked.

"Sure Harry," the pixie smiled planting a kiss on his cheeks as she disappeared out of existence.

"Thank you" He whispered into the empty room knowing full well the pixie would have heard him.

Harry glanced at his pocket watch, a birthday gift from his father; it was half passed eleven and he decided to call it a night.

So France it is.

A small smile graced his lips. Rose Potter was going to be so mad once she found out.

*Scene Break*

Harry rose early the next morning following through with his rigorous routine which involved occlumency training and his morning exercise. It didn't matter what the rest of the day had in store for him; so long as he wasn't hospitalised, his morning routine was a must.

Having finished a heavy breakfast, Harry quickly made his way to his great grandfather's study. Arcturus Black along with every member of the Black family had already assembled in the study to say their goodbyes.

"Is everything in order Hadrian?" Arcturus asked as he watched the child walk into the room and settle upon a chair before him.

"Yes sir, I'm prepared to leave at a moment's notice." Harry answered with a nod.

"Your wand has arrived." Arcturus proclaimed, waving his hand and a slim black box appeared on the table before the boy.

"May I?" Harry politely asked barely managing to subdue his eagerness.

Receiving a nod, Harry lifted the box off the table carefully opening it as he examined its contents.

Placing the box back on the table, he took out the note placed within and unfolded it.

 _It is with great pleasure that I present to you this marvel of creation.  
Elder and thunderbird tail feather, nine and a half inches.  
Powerful, very powerful. _

Harry gasped, reading the note a second time with wide eyes handed it over to Arcturus who studied it with a smirk.

The wand of legend, often termed the death-stick was said to be made of elder. The rarest wand wood of all. It was common knowledge that even the most renowned wand makers shied away from using elder. The old superstition, 'wand of elder, never prosper,' had its basis in this fear of the wood, well reputed to be deeply unlucky.

Harry was very fascinated by the mystery that was wand crafting and had studied enough to know the properties of materials so rare, used in the hidden art.

' _Wands of elder are trickier to master than any other. It contains powerful magic, but scorns to remain with any owner who is not the superior of his or her company; it takes a remarkable wizard to keep the elder wand for any length of time._ '

He eyes fell upon the wand innocently lying wrapped in soft black cloth, his wand.

Sparing his father a glance and receiving an encouraging nod in return, Harry carefully lifted his precious wand out of the box and gasped as a pulse of energy surged through his body. The elder wand as he saw fit to call it as if sensing his eagerness and anticipation, hummed with unleashed power.

Slowly getting up from the chair he sat in, Harry raised the wand holding it at shoulder level and flicked it in a circular motion.

"Protego!" Harry commanded and watched as a transparent dome of pure energy was erected before him, encompassing his entire body from head to toe.

Seconds later a flash of red rushed at him slamming against his shield, but found itself deflected away with ease. The shield stood firm, pulsing with energy.

"A perfect demonstration of the shield charm." Cassiopeia concluded, with a rare smile.

"A perfect demonstration indeed." Arcturus agreed as he watched the child dispel the shield and place his new wand in the holster on his right hand.

Sirius was grinning at his son with pride. He couldn't have been happier.

"Will Selene be accompanying you to Beauxbatons?" his great grandmother Melania asked in a concerned tone as her eyes scanned the room, half expecting the bubbly spirit to show up.

"Yes grandma, she wouldn't have it any other way." Harry answered reassuringly. He was glad to know that the pixie was going to stay with him.

"That is good; she will watch out for you and keep you safe." Melania responded with a relieved expression. The Black matriarch worried far too much for her youngest, as any mother should.

"Before you leave, we have a gift for you child." Arcturus spoke, commanding all of Harry's attention.

With a snap of his fingers, a young white pup materialised at Harry's feet and he stared at it in awe. The puppy couldn't have been over thirty days old. It had a coat of pure white fur with prominent wolfish features. It had curled up and appeared to be soundly asleep, completely oblivious of the people in the room.

Harry continued to study the sleeping puppy with wide eyes.

"Is that…a wolf?" Harry all but spluttered. He still couldn't believe what he was seeing.

"An elemental wolf." Arcturus corrected. "The elemental wolf is by far the rarest and most powerful breed of wolves in existence. They are very intelligent, fiercely protective and unimaginably powerful with the potential of growing up to nearly twice the size of a full grown dire wolf. The elemental wolves as their names suggest have control over the elements, all of them. With completely magical resistant fur and razor sharp fangs and claws, they make formidable pets. Raise her well." Arcturus commanded.

Harry could only nod weakly. This truly was an exceptionally rare magical species. It must have cost a fortune.

He spared another glance at the wolf that peacefully slept at his feet. His wolf, he corrected himself.

She was beautiful.

"Thank you," Harry murmured, barely able to find his voice.

"It is time you said your goodbyes. You have but a few minutes before the portkey activates." Arcturus warned.

Harry nodded, instantly turning to address his great grandmother.

"Remember to eat well, no skipping meals okay?" Melania cautioned, as she pulled the child into a tight embrace.

"I will grandma, please don't worry." Harry promised, wiping a stray tear that trickled down her face as she finally released him. He would miss her terribly.

He turned to face his aunt, she wasn't much for emotional confrontations. "May the fates smile upon you always," she said, kissing his forehead lightly.

"Thank you, aunt Cassiopeia" Harry smiled, stepping away from her as he approached his father.

"Farewell, my son. Always remember; audentis fortuna iuvat," Sirius sighed, as he ruffled his son's hair.

 _Fortune favours the brave._

Harry nodded solemnly, taking his father's words to heart.

The portkey in his hand had begun flashing. It was time. Selene, his pixie flashed into existence before him.

"I will bring the little wolf with me," she assured, disappearing the sleeping pup with a snap of her fingers. Harry nodded his thanks. Travelling by portkey for the first time would be far too disturbing an experience for one so young.

Making sure he had everything he needed, Harry approached his head of house last falling to one knee; head bowed low.

Arcturus' eyes never left the child; his cold, impassive countenance effortlessly concealing any sentiments.

"Toujours pur, al fine" Arcturus intoned, rising to his feet.

"Al fine!" The rest chorused, as a blinding flash of light engulfed the room.

Once it subsided, the boy was gone.

 **Author's Note**

I'm still in the process of developing ideas and a setting for the French equivalent of Diagon Alley along with the trip to Beauxbatons and the institute itself.  
And so it seems a fair bit of research into French traditions, names, social settings and culture will be necessary.

I've never been to France, or Europe for that matter. The language itself is foreign to me and I apologise for any errors you may find with the language. I'd highly appreciate it if any of you readers that speak French would be kind enough to lend a hand and correct me if need be.

Until next time,  
Serenity


	4. Chapter 4 - Le début

**Chapter 4 – Le début**

The French have always been firm believers in égalité; equality, and is part of the country's motto: "Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité." The founder of Beauxbatons Academy of Magic was a woman that shared the very same ideals, completely unconcerned with the social status of her pupils or even their race for that matter. To her, they were all simply students with a passion for magic.

In ancient times, practitioners of magic were feared, shunned, ambushed and slaughtered by those that lacked the gift; magical folk were often compelled to hide in plain sight to keep their families safe. Their educational institutions had to be carefully hidden and very well fortified in order to safeguard its students.

Beauxbatons was one such institution hidden away deep within the Alps of France. The founder; an arch-mage, along with her council of mages had taken a massive chunk of the mountain range which, at the time, was completely uninhabited and literally, replicated it. They prepared an exact replica of everything that existed, from the dense forest that covered the mountains right up to its rivers and meadows. The mages had further vastly expanded the land and altered its weather, seasons, temperature and everything, to their convenience. The entire place was said to be almost as large as France itself. In a concluding measure of protection, invoking ancient magic long lost to the trials of time, they sealed the entire place off from the world making it unconceivable to plot and impossible to find.

The portkey given to Harry had bypassed all international travel regulations and had brought him straight to an empty room. The first thing that came to Harry's notice was just how profoundly basic this room was. It had bare, white washed walls with two wooden doors on each side of the room. What made Harry necessarily tense was the lack of windows; the room didn't have a single one. The accommodation was fairly Spartan; just one awfully simple desk and a wooden chair oddly placed to the north – east corner were the only constituents of the fairly large room.

Before Harry had an opportunity to walk up to the table and observe its contents, the door to his right was flung open and in strode a middle aged man wearing a black suit; a stack of papers hovering behind him, trailed him as he continued forward.

The man seeming rather riveted by the parchment in his hands, walked right past Harry to his desk, comfortably taking his seat. He had long raven black hair tied back in a neat ponytail and an unnaturally pale complexion. The stranger had to have been the palest person Harry had ever come across.

An entire minute had passed, but the newcomer who Harry assumed was most likely his examiner had shown no signs of acknowledging his presence. Harry however, saw no point in growing restless and patiently stood, waiting to be addressed.

"Shall we begin then Mr. Black?" The man finally spoke, eyes not leaving the stack of parchments, as he flipped a page and continued reading. Harry could not place his accent, but he knew for a fact that it most definitely wasn't French.

"Ready when you are, sir." Was his curt response.

Even though Beauxbatons may have been an institution intended for all kinds of humanoids such as veela, vampires, werewolves, elves and the like, they were the only school Harry knew of that actually conducted an entrance examination. It deterred most students from applying.

The standards of teaching were known to be exceedingly high; the competition fierce. This was no place for laid-back students that lacked the zeal to learn; students that weren't up to the mark would struggle to cope, easily falling behind their peers. Beauxbatons only accepted students that had potential and showed promise. Out of the hundreds that would apply every year, only a paltry twenty or so applicants would find themselves accepted; which was why it had a very limited fraction of students.

But what they lacked in numbers, they more than compensated for with peerless proficiency. Alumni of Beauxbatons were rumoured to have contributed substantially towards the progress made in the diverse fields of magic. Nearly half the major breakthroughs made over the last couple centuries led back to an alumnus of the school. The sorcerer's stone; an inconceivable dream made reality, was one such example.

"The trial you will be subjected to is subdivided into three stages. The first and most significant test involves the use of 'Aura Vision.' Your magical core, I will inspect; if it doesn't meet acceptable standards, you're off." The examiner stated, his stern voice leaving no room for argument.

Harry chose to remain silent, he had very little time, maybe ten minutes at best to create a favourable impression. The man seemed to have a rather austere air about him and Harry wasn't going to test his patience with unnecessary pleasantries.

What did annoy him though was how the man had conveniently chosen to leave out the details of the second and third stage of the trail. What was their purpose?

It didn't matter, he would find out soon enough.

As the examiner finally did settle his gaze upon Harry, it took him all his willpower to maintain a neutral façade and ignore the chill that crept down his spine. He did his best to restrain his emotions and focus on the matter at hand as he stared back into crimson eyes which glowed with repressed power.

And Harry continued staring with rapture as time passed them by.

The man, or vampire rather, satisfied with his scrutiny smirked at the boy revealing razor-sharp fangs. Harry blinked. Breaking out of his stupor, he sighed softly, easing the pressure in his lungs; oblivious to the fact that he had been holding his breath.

This was the first time he had encountered a vampire in person, he realised.

'The older they grow, the stronger they become' his father's voice resonated across his mind. This one casually sitting before him, had to have been ancient!

Harry couldn't even begin to fathom just how powerful the vampire sitting before him truly may have been.

His thoughts were interrupted by the vampire in question. "Our applicants are expected to come to us completely thorough with the basics." He stated, as he rose from his chair, walked around the table and stood leaning against it. "Where do you stand in that regard?"

Harry paused, carefully considering the question as he formulated an apt response.

"I was introduced to magical theory and its application at the tender age of seven and provided my first trainer wand once I turned nine. I have spent most of my time studying and understanding the concepts of magic, learning how spells are cast; studying the factors that influence and affect the power, effect, efficiency and duration of each spell. My head of house believes that I now possess a firm grasp of the basics." Harry concluded, making sure his answer was short and precise.

His occlumency training was being put to the test, as he continued to struggle against his raging emotions and maintain his composure.

"So he says." The vampire drawled. "Much can be learned in two years. Your roster of spells so far?"

"I have learned only a select few spells that I was taught. The stunning spell 'stupefy,' the shield charm 'protego', the smokescreen spell 'fumos,' 'fulgur' the spell that conjures lightning and 'episkey' a basic healing spell along with a few common household charms." Harry elaborated, as he mentally prepared himself to prove his worth.

"Ah, a child bred for war? How adorable is that!" The vampire exclaimed, a subtle smirked graced his lips.

Harry remained silent but frowned inwardly, his great grandfather had instilled in him the importance of being self-reliant. He was trained for combat, conditioned to defend himself. This had nothing to do with war; he was being mocked unnecessarily, but he would not rise to the bait.

After a slight pause the vampire sighed, clearly disappointed. Harry found his behaviour awfully confusing.

"I must say, that is a fascinating wand you carry; a stark contrast to your lifeless demeanour." The vampire inferred. Another jab.

The elder wand wasn't in sight, carefully stashed away in its holster. How had he managed to get a read on it? Aura vision possibly? Harry would have to look into it soon, and he was now clearly in need of a better holster as well.

"Says the one that is truly lifeless." Harry smiled, burn!

His words held no maliciousness, after all he was but only stating a fact.

The vampire laughed. "It seems, there is still hope for you child." But his expression sobered up once more and he approached Harry and stood before him.

"Your occlumency is adequate for one so young, however, there is tremendous scope for refinement." Stated the examiner as he conjured a black envelope, which hovered before him. "It would take a fool to dismiss the gifts the divines saw fit to bestow upon you; but it is we who possess the means to nurture prodigious talent and mould it beyond the comprehension of reality."

He stepped closer and reached out his right hand towards Harry. "Beauxbatons opens her gates to you child; sanctuary she will provide, should you choose to accept."

"I accept." Harry said decisively, grasping the offered hand in a firm handshake. There was no room for hesitation. His mind was made.

"It is with great pleasure, that I welcome you to the Beauxbatons Academy of Magic, novice." The vampire smirked, as he snatched the envelope out of the air, handing it over to Harry. "You will find enclosed a list comprising everything you may need to buy, along with a portkey which will activate a seven the following morning."

"Thank you," Harry said with a genuine smile as he ignored a burning sensation within the forearm of his right hand.

He truly was grateful for this opportunity. It was considered a privilege to have studied at Beauxbatons and he would do everything in his power to rise up to the standards expected of a student of this prestigious institution.

He aspired to be a great wizard someday and now, he had finally taken the first prominent step towards fulfilling his dreams and unbeknownst to him, his destiny.

This was only the beginning.

 **Author's Note -**

I'd like to thank each and every one of you for your support, it is much appreciated and highly motivating.

I've opened a poll (which will be open for the foreseeable future) on my profile page for you to choose between Fleur and Daphne. Makes it easier to keep track. It think it makes more sense to vote once you get a good read on both their characters along with an understanding of the dynamics of their interactions with Harry.

This chapter also provides a little insight into what you can expect Beauxbatons to be like. Also, I plan to keep things simple with the whole French setting.

 **P.S. -** Académie de Magie Beauxbâtons directly translates to 'Beauxbatons Academy of Magic.' Well according to Google Translate anyway.

Thank you,  
Serenity


	5. Chapter 5 - La rue de la vie

**Chapter 4 – La rue de la vie**

The door Harry used to leave the examination room had to have been a magical portal of some sort. He walked out of it right onto a busy street, packed with people. Any attempt at an inspection of the fascinating mode of transport, perished along with the door that vanished from existence before him.

Harry sighed. Maybe he'd have more luck with examining such doors at Beauxbatons, he hoped. His attention though, was quickly diverted to his surroundings.

The strange portal Harry realised, had brought him straight to what could only be considered the magical equivalent of Diagon Alley. To his knowledge, France had quite a few magical avenues and he easily recognised this one.

'La rue de la vie,' was by far the most popular shopping avenue in all of France. This beautiful boulevard had been famous for beguiling visitors, for centuries now. It literally translated to 'the street of life,' and Harry could clearly see what gave the place its name.

This wasn't the first time he had set foot on this avenue; his father, had quite the thing for French women and would bring him here from time to time when he was younger. Something about the 'single father of a child' act having a hundred percent success rate.

He had been playing wingman ever since he was a babe, Harry realised with mirth. His father's childish antics never failed to amuse him.

He could feel Selene's presence in the air and knew she was around, possibly watching over him.

A swift read through the list enclosed within the envelope instantly had Harry on the move. He had things to do and judging by the position of the sun, only a few hours at best, if he wished to get it all over within time for supper.

Harry nimbly walked down the familiar cobblestone street, making his way through the bustling crowd in search of his first destination. If he remembered correctly, the apothecary was situated closest to him and he was able to find it, with little effort.

Harry maintained a decent reserve of necessary potions in his trunk. For this occasion in particular, he had made further effort of raiding his Aunt Cassiopeia's stash; additionally carrying unusual potions he did not normally bother with, in case that they might come in handy at Beaxubatons.

However, he was still running short on supply of a few potions that even her stash didn't possess, and not having had a chance to stock up back in England, he decided to do so now, that the opportunity presented itself.

Quickly paying for the potions along with a vial of outstandingly rare phoenix tears he had picked up, Harry continued on towards the nursery which was situated right next to the apothecary.

Along with a few rare plants that weren't found in the stores of England, Harry had paid a hefty sum of galleons for an unconceivably rare and ancient bonsai that had caught his eye. The twelve hundred year old tree was not up for sale, and it had taken him an hour of persuasion and an exorbitant sum of galleons to convince the owner to part with it. He had of course successfully managed to do so in the end, and the tree was now securely placed in his trunk.

Selene would be very delighted.

Thankfully, Harry belonged to a rather wealthy family and the availability of money for essential purchases such as this one, was of little concern. He was however, taught the value of money and instilled with the importance of spending it wisely. His grandfather would not take lightly to him carelessly wasting his money on unnecessary purchases.

His next immediate destination was the book store. He hadn't been there before, curtesy of his loving father; Sirius would rather die than find himself in a book store, and Harry had no recollection of seeing one on this street either. But after seeking assistance for directions from the locals, he was able to find the place soon enough.

Harry did not need to pick up any books for school in particular. Beauxbatons provided its students with text books of its own; however, he had plenty of time to kill after supper and the prospect of reading up on material outlawed by the British Ministry, yet easily accessible in France, was far too appealing.

The bookstore Harry found himself in was considerably larger than the one in Diagon Alley, or even the one situated in Knockturn Alley for that matter. There were hardly any people here however, just a shopkeeper along with two or three attendants.

Harry certainly took his own sweet time as he made his way through the different sections that caught his interest, carefully inspecting, reading and selecting books as he went.

Finally satisfied with his selection, he made his way over to the cashier's booth and waited for the shopkeeper to pack his purchases. The old man behind the counter raised an eyebrow at his choice of books, but said nothing as he accepted the money and proceeded to pack them.

Well, it was rather unusual to see a 'child,' buying recherché books on alchemy and necromancy. Even adults stayed clear off Necromancy. It was awfully rare to come across practitioners of the undead arts, these days.

He wasn't sure why the man had resorted to using non-magical means for packing the books and opted to remain silent. Perhaps, he may have been a squib. Harry didn't know, and it wasn't any of his business in the first place.

As Harry waited for the shopkeeper to finish packing his purchases, a beautiful girl wearing a light summer dress walked into the store, approached the counter and began conversing with the man in French. She could not have been more than a few years older than him. Her voice though gentle, had an underlying tone of urgency to it.

Harry found himself enthralled by the blonde beauty standing before him. A cute frown slowly found its way to her flawless face, as she continued to converse with the old man.

She looked stunning, breathtakingly so and Harry found himself effectively rendered speechless. He couldn't even take his eyes off her. Not that he wanted to in the first place.

Harry did not speak French fluently, far from it really; but he was familiar enough with the language to comfortably understand the conversation between the two, carefully listening with rapture.

It turned out, the girl was desperately in search of a particular book on alchemy. She had been frequenting stores throughout the country in search of said book for weeks now, but was having no luck with finding it so far.

Coincidentally, it so happened, that the tome she was in pursuit of, appeared to be the very same one in the shopkeepers' hands. The one he was packing, for Harry.

The girl eventually turned to him. "Bonjour!" She greeted, her musical voice bringing a smile to his face.

Harry managed to break out of his stupor, a mere split-second before she turned to address him. It was quite a close call and he wondered if she had caught him staring. If she did, she didn't show it. He prayed that she hadn't!

Regaining his composure, he responded.

"Good evening, is there something I can do for you?" Harry inquired, well aware of her dilemma.

The girl paused briefly. "Good evening," she greeted, easily switching to English as she stepped closer, offering him her right hand.

Instead of shaking it like she expected, Harry grasped her fingers gently within the palm of his hand, slightly bending forward; his lips faintly brushed against her knuckles, a smile gracing them as he looked back up at her.

If she was surprised, she hid it well. But she did blush lightly, ever so slightly, making his heart flutter.

"I am in dire need of a book, the one you've purchased. I would be very grateful, if you would allow me buy it off you." She requested, her voice soft and hopeful.

She looked so beautiful. Harry couldn't get tired of looking at her! Her dazzling complexion, lovely hair and sparkling blue eyes, had him weak in the knees.

He almost felt like handing the book over to her that very instant, in the hope of alleviating the worried expression off her face… Harry couldn't bear to see her troubled.

Tearing his eyes away from the attractive girl, he spared a glance at the book in question, his mind coming up with a quick solution.

It was in fact a very nice book on Alchemy, written by the famed Nicholas Flamel himself; one of the limited few copies to have existed. It was a miracle he had found it in the first place, and now that he had, he wasn't willing to part with it so easily.

Gesturing for the shopkeeper to hand the book over, his wand snapped out of its holster and in his hand. A familiar surge of magic rushed through him, reinforcing his confidence.

"Geminio" He commanded, his intentions clear. The elder wand performed its task well, easily duplicating the book in question. There, problem solved!

Putting his wand back into its holster, Harry handed over a copy of the book to the girl and she stared back at him, wide blue eyes blinkingly rather owlishly.

"Merci," she whispered and closed the distance between them, throwing her arms around his neck. Harry stiffened in surprise at the unexpected contact, before relaxing against her. "Merci!" She repeated, releasing him. Her scent, a gentle whiff of vanilla lingered on his nostrils even as she stepped back; a grateful smile danced across her lips.

The book clearly meant a lot more to her than he had expected.

"Don't worry about it," Harry casually dismissed her words, trying his best to play it cool. Oh god her smile, he found it so awfully contagious!

After a few more words of repeated thanks, the impulsive girl excused herself. She seemed to be in quite a hurry. Only once she was gone, did Harry realise that he never did learn her name. How had it slipped his mind? He simply failed to understand.

"Beautiful aren't they, Veelas?" The shopkeeper finally spoke, his expression dreamy. "The very personification of the beauty and elegance, so angelic…" He finished with sigh.

Harry looked at the man, still lost in thought.

He wondered if he'd ever see her again. He hoped so, he really did. If the fates truly did see fit to gift him another opportunity, he promised himself to learn her name the next time around!

Harry shook his head as it occurred to him, just how silly his thoughts were. He sounded even worse than Sirius himself. The thought mortified him!

With his mind now set, he walked back into the store in search of a book on Veela. His knowledge on the matter was severely lacking, his occlumency even more so.

The girl was young and still learning to control her developing allure. He would have to work at improving his occlumency and soon. This was a quite a learning lesson in itself and he'd make sure to watch out for this henceforth. Falling prey to the allure was not befitting of a Black. Arcturus would be livid, if he ever found out.

Harry as much as he tried, couldn't deny himself one simple fact. He had developed a crush on the girl; the blue eyed beauty was sure to haunt his dreams, in the nights to come.

 **Author's Note –**

Hi, I know this feels unnecessarily rushed, but feeling awfully frustrated with not knowing how to improve it, I've decided to post it anyway.

This is it, for now.

Thanks,  
Serenity.


	6. Chapter 6 - A Chance Encounter

**Chapter 6 – A Chance Encounter?**

Having purchased everything Harry deemed necessary, he decided to call it a day and check in to the nearest hotel he could find. Le Foyer happened to be the only hotel on the street and Harry was rather pleased with his accommodations for the night. The spacious room comprised of a comfortable queen-sized bed, a desk, and chairs, two large windows draped with silk curtains, a small but well-equipped bathroom and a nice balcony which offered a pleasant view of the entire street.

Harry set his belongings beside the bed and flopped down upon it. Stretching lazily, he decided upon his next course of action. Selene materialised before him, hovering in the air as she examined his room.

The young wolf materialising upon the bed right beside him. She was still asleep, it seemed.

"She couldn't possibly have been asleep all this while?" Harry inquired, looking at his fairy for an explanation.

"Magically induced slumber. To avoid mental trauma as a result of the magical travel." Selene answered as she gazed upon the puppy with fond eyes.

"She should, however, awaken any moment now; the magic has been lifted and it is time for her to eat." Selene continued, "There is something I must attend to, I shall return within the hour." She said as she disappeared without waiting for a response.

It took another full minute before the ball of white fur lying next to him showed signs of waking up. The pup yowled softly, her yawn displaying rows of pointed teeth as she lazily stood on all fours and stretched for a good measure. The wolf was no longer than his forearm, yet she was dignified and noble. Her fur was white, pure white almost reflecting the moonlight that shone through the window. Two diminutive white fangs curved down out of its upper jaw. They looked very sharp. Her claws were also white, almost like polished ivory, and slightly serrated on the inside curve. She would make a fine huntress.

Harry shifted slightly, barely and the wolf's head snapped around. Hard, storm grey eyes fixed upon him; he kept very still. His wand was on the desk, far out of his reach and he cursed himself for his carelessness. Irrespective of how young she was, given the circumstances she would be a formidable enemy if she chose to attack now.

The wolf, however, was quick to lose interest in Harry as she gracefully leaped off the bed and began to explore the room; sniffing about as she worked her way around the furniture. Soon enough she had leaped back onto the bed and made her way over to his pillow as she set her gaze upon him once more, sniffing at him from a safe distance.

Harry unsure of how to react offered her his hand slowly, palm hovering right before her nose. The wolf sniffed his palm curiously, proceeding to nibble upon his sleeve. He pulled his arm back.

A small smile tugged at Harry's lips as he studied the animal before him. Tentatively, he reached out with his left hand and proceeded to rest his palm upon its head. A blast of electric energy surged into his hands and raced up his arm, burning in his veins like liquid fire. He fell back with a scream, his ears ringing. Every inch of his body seared with pain. Is this what the cruciatus felt like? He struggled to move but found himself unable to. His body refused to acknowledge his commands. After what seemed like hours, he felt the warmth seep back into him, leaving his entire body tingling. Shivering uncontrollably, he found his strength barely managing to push himself upright. His hand felt numb, his fingers still paralyzed. Alarmed, he watched the magic wash over the middle of his palm, shimmering with a faint glow, as it formed slowly, taking the shape of a wolf howling into the night. His skin itched and burned, his heart pounding frantically.

Harry gasped as it finally dawned on him, what had just occurred. The wolf had bonded herself to him. Something brushed against his consciousness, like a feather trailing over his skin. He felt it again, it solidified into a tendril of thought from which he could feel a growing curiosity. It was almost as if, his occlumency shields hadn't been rendered useless. The tendrils of thought brushed against his mind, easily drifting past his shields as if they didn't exist. Frightened and alarmed he drew back deep into the recesses of his mind and almost immediately, the new sense vanished. He glared suspiciously at the motionless wolf. His familiar.

This time, the young wolf walked right up to him and brushed herself against his side, he jerked back. But thankfully, the energy did not shock him again and he sighed in relief. He didn't think he could have lived through another such experience. Curious, he carefully rubbed the wolf's head with the palm of his left hand. A slight tingling sensation ran up his arm once more and the wolf rather pleased with his administrations nuzzled him, arching its back like a cat.

Once more the tendrils touched his mind, but this time, instead of curiosity, all he sensed was an overpowering, ravenous hunger. The wolf pawed at the bed beneath is legs and yowled once more, demanding food. He got up with a sigh. Selene wasn't responding to his summons; he remembered the elves having packed some strips of meet just in case. God bless those house-elves. Harry continued to scratch its head softly, attempting to silence it.

"Shush now, stay here. I will get you some food." Harry said, projecting his intentions through their connection. The young wolf paused and settled on its haunches by the pillow.

Harry rushed to his trunk, quickly grabbing a small bag from it and then picking up a plate and a knife off the food basket upon the desk, proceeded towards the bathroom carefully closing the door behind him.

Returning with a few cubes of dried meat, he found the wolf sitting on the windowsill, watching the moon. He sat one the bed once more, placing the plate on his lap and watched as his familiar made her way back onto the bed and stood before him, eying the meat curiously. She smelled the square cautiously, then jabbed her head forward with lightning speed and snatched the meat from his fingers, chewing on it slightly, before swallowing it whole and licking her chops. The wolf prodded Harry's hand for more.

And so he continued to feed it, careful to keep his fingers out of the way. By the time there was but one cube left, the wolf seemed to have eaten her fill. He proffered the final piece; the wolf considered it momentarily, then lazily snapped it up. Done eating, she lazily made her way over his leg and curled onto his lap, resting her head against his chest.

It didn't take long for her to fall asleep. Once he was sure that she was soundly asleep, gently he picked her up and set her on the bed, by his pillow. She was still a babe and yet, he was already having difficulty carrying her weight; give it a few weeks, and he wouldn't be able to carry her at all. He was sure that a few months down the line, she'd be the one large enough to carry him around.

An hour later, Harry found himself leaving his room and making his way down the stairs to grab a bite, his familiar still asleep lying comfortably on an enlarged pillow that hovered behind him. Knowing that Beauxbatons was accepting students and would have conducted more than one interview today; the likelihood of him coming across another applicant was substantially high.

He had contemplated leaving the sleeping ball of fur in his room but eventually decided against it. If she were to wake up and find herself alone, he wasn't sure how she'd react, and he did not want her out of his sight at all if that were possible.

Le Foyer reminded Harry very much of The Leaky Cauldron. The place had a very cosy and welcoming vibe to it with three floors of bedrooms above the public restaurant and well stocked bar. They clearly shared a similar setting. The only noticeable difference between the two was that this hotel seemed to be a lot cleaner and had been considerably well maintained.

Scanning the decently lit place once, he settled for a small cubicle in the northeast corner of the room, close to the bar. Ensuring that his familiar's pillow and been placed properly on the seat next to his, he beckoned the waitress over and ordered himself a light dinner.

Hardly had his dinner arrived, when he noticed a beautiful brunette walk into the restaurant. The first thing his ocular sense decided to register was her clothes or lack of thereof. She wore a slinky black off shoulder crop top, complemented by a pair of light blue denims which barely covered her derriere. They were possibly the shortest he'd ever seen and did absolutely nothing to mask her long, lean and shapely legs.

The girl was drop dead gorgeous, Harry noted clinically. Her face, though awfully pale, possessed very aristocratic and fair features. High cheekbones that were softened by a heart-shaped face, a small nose, thick eyelashes and full lips painted an almost blood red created a vision of beauty that was rivalled by a mere few.

Harry couldn't place her age, but she was young; possibly somewhere between sixteen and eighteen? He honestly couldn't tell, and the thought unsettled him. What was a girl so young, especially dressed like that doing on the streets, clearly all by herself at half-past eleven!

She glanced around the room and Harry felt himself sucking in a sharp intake of breath. Amethyst irises that shimmered with an unearthly luminescence regarded him with a half-lidded gaze, piercing him, devouring him.

Slowly, she began walking, or stalking rather, towards him, her eyes never leaving his, almost like an apex predator stalking its prey. She was a vampire after all and they counted as that, didn't they? Sitting comfortably at the top of the food chain.

Her lips curved into a delicate smirk, one that sent shivers down his spine. For the second time that day, Harry found his occlumency being put to the test as he struggled to maintain a neutral façade as the girl drifted over to his table.

"Beauxbatons?" The vampire inquired, softly. Harry nodded and gestured to the vacant chair across his.

"I'm Hadrian, Harry for short." He spoke, his tone matching hers.

"Alice," the girl reciprocated, following his example as she took her seat.

"Is there anything you would like to have?" Harry asked as he beckoned the waitress over, his food forgotten.

"A bottle of your finest wine please, red." The girl answered as she glanced at the waitress who nodded and left without a word. "Thank you," she acknowledged her gaze upon him once more.

"It won't stay warm for long," She finally cautioned, amusement shining in her eyes. He hadn't touched his meal in favour of returning her stare as he studied her with curiosity.

"Your wine has yet to arrive." He pointed out simply and she smiled, pleased with his response.

"You reside in the United Kingdoms." She stated as the waitress presented her with a bottle to which she nodded her consent.

"Yes, England actually and you?" Harry asked as he lifted the napkin off the table, placing it on his lap.

"Italy at the moment." She answered, lifting the glass off the table, raising it to her lips. "I've never stayed in one place too long. Eight years in Brazil, three in Japan, two in Canada and now one in Italy. I'm fourteen." She explained, taking another sip of her wine. Clearly, she had no reservations towards the consumption of alcohol, underage laws be damned. Did they not apply to vampires?

"I turned eleven this July. This will be my first year at Beauxbatons." Harry supplied, eying two strangers that had entered the pub, boys in their teens. Once again, he could tell they weren't human, their eyes gave them away.

The pair having noticed them, began approaching their table, but one glance from Alice had them backing off and walking the other way, right back out the pub.

Harry blinked, observing the interaction with interest and remained silent. Who exactly was this girl? Clearly, they were weary of her and he didn't think it wise to pry.

"This will be my first year at the academy as well." Alice declared, smirking at the look of surprise that marred his face. "My guardian wished that I be home-schooled until I turned fourteen," she added.

Beauxbatons' did not sort students into classes on the basis of their age. They were sorted on the basis of potential and skill alone. Harry nodded his understanding and gestured for the waitress to bring them the cheque, having finished his dinner. They were the last customers left in the restaurant, it already was a quarter past midnight.

"Are you staying at this hotel then?" Harry inquired, checking the bill once before signing it off to his room.

Alice nodded. "I will come seek you out at first light." She stated. "The wine-" "Is on me," Harry interrupted, fixing her with a determined stare. She smiled back saucily, flaunting razor-sharp fangs.

"My, such a gentleman." She teased, eyes shining with mirth. Harry sighed. "Goodnight Alice." He answered, watching her as she rose from her seat and sauntered off towards the stairs, hips swaying.

The silly girl was fourteen! Shaking his head, Harry rose from his seat as well drawing his wand to levitate his familiar. He was rather satisfied with the events of the day, and now all he longed for was a good night's sleep.

"Sweet dreams, Harry." Alice purred her magically induced voice, echoing off the walls.

* * *

 **Author's Note –**

Hi, I apologise for the delay in posting this chapter.

If you've noticed, our wolf- What are your thoughts on her so far? Doesn't have a name yet. I'm open to ideas.

Also, what are your thoughts on Alice? Fleur will be back.

Until next time,  
Thanks, Serenity.


	7. Chapter 7 - Beauxbatons Academy of Magic

**Chapter 7 – Beauxbatons Academy of Magic**

Harry was quick to rise the following morning. He had to wake up far earlier than he was accustomed with, however, he was far too excited about his first day at Beauxbatons for it to bother him. The portkey enclosed within the envelope his examiner had provided him was expected to activate at first light. Having checked his room one last time to make sure he had not missed anything, Harry proceeded to the lobby to checkout. The receptionist although drowsy breezed him through a swift checkout and having thanked her with a generous tip, Harry headed for the exit when his eyes fell upon a familiar girl that stood waiting by the doors. The very same one that had interrupted his dinner the previous night.

"You've kept me waiting," She drawled, as he approached her.

"You've kept me waiting." Harry corrected. "You said you'd seek me out."

"At first light." She reminded, with a nefarious smile. There was still some time to sunrise, and they were both fairly ahead of schedule.

Harry shook his head with amusement. Everything about the girl screamed trouble, it would be wise to keep his distance.

"What about your little soft toy?" She asked curiously.

"My familiar, the wolf, is already at Beauxbatons. She's still too young for portkey travel, so another means of transport had been arranged for her last night." Harry answered.

The young vampire smiled.

"Alright then, make sure you're prepared to leave. Our portkeys should activate soon." Alice warned as she looked out towards the night sky.

 **Scene Break**

No literature on Beauxbatons if it did exist, could possibly have prepared Harry for the sight that lay before his eyes.

The portkey had transported him with around another thirty or so students right onto a garden balcony of what seemed to be a castle of a sort. He was finding it difficult to believe really. To Harry, it looked like they had carved out the stone edifice into the mountain itself. It was nothing short of a fortress. The front of the mountain had been carved out into balconies and gardens, the rooms behind them hidden within the mountain. Most of the balconies were not connected at all, not on the outside, and neither were most of the gardens. The parts of the structure that stuck out from the mountainside were made of columns and archways, carved out of obsidian rock. Spread out before them, far below was a massive valley. The school Harry realised, was situated deep within the epicentre of the valley. Surrounded by those enormous white-topped mountains, the school possessed a natural defence in the form of those mountain ranges at the far end of the valley.

Harry's observation of the serene valley that lay below him was interrupted by the opening of the doors that connected the garden to the interiors of the castle. Nine individuals, his examiner from the previous day being one of them walked out. Dressed in black ceremonial robes with silver trim, each of them had a distinctive badge of symbols on their chest and shoulders; an identification of rank or mastery in a certain field of magic perhaps. The woman leading them walked out in front and addressed the students.

"I am Astraea Nightshade, Headmistress of Beauxbatons Academy of Magic. All of you will report to the resident healer for the purpose of registering your medical records. You will then be escorted to your rooms, there you will find a book cataloguing the wide range of subjects taught at this school along with an in-depth description, duration and the necessary requirements for each course. You will then spend the rest of your day picking out classes. Assessment for placements within each class will be held until sundown and your classes shall start the following day." With those parting words, the headmistress walked back into the school along with the rest of her entourage. Only one adult remained.

"You may refer to me as Madam Prince, I am the doyenne to the healing ward of this institution. Come now, let us proceed to the medical wing." The students followed her silently into the school.

Through his early childhood, Harry had a fair share of experiences visiting various ancestral manors and castles, attending events held by members of pureblood society. As a result, he was hardly fazed by them anymore. This time, however, he was left completely in awe of the fortress that was to be his home for the foreseeable future. This school was massive. The corridors and archways within the mountain were enormous and well-lit by torches, crystals and orbs of light. Light brought in through tiny slits was concentrated in crystals and then sent out in beams across the ceilings. The towers, rooms and halls the school boasted were simply enormous. Harry couldn't even begin to fathom what ancient magic must have been invoked to fashion the castle into a very mountain itself.

"Beauxbatons does not indulge its students. Apprentices of age fifteen and above, are expected to nurse their own wounds. Our healers, however, will address grievous wounds or injuries that may prove to be fatal." The matron elucidated as the students followed her into the medical wing.

The students were then assembled into four groups, each being led by a healer and were made to undergo full-body scans one after the other. Just as they were all done, another member of the staff had arrived at the medical wing to collect them and take them to their accommodations.

The rooms to which they were each assigned would remain theirs until they finally graduated. Having remembered that his father had to share a dormitory with several other students for seven years, Harry was rather pleased with the prospect of having his own room at Beauxbatons. He knew he would have been able to make do without it, but he could certainly see the advantages of having a room of his own. It allowed students their own privacy and enabled them to study and practice all forms of magic without interference.

Harry was quite delighted by the sheer size of his room. He had expected it to be small, simple, perhaps even spartan in its features, but he had been very wrong. For starters, it was a very spacious room. It even had its own bathroom and a set of floor-ceiling windows which led to his own personal garden. The room was well furnished, comprising of a queen size bed, a large study table, nicely situated bookshelves, wall shelves, wardrobes and very cosy sofa set. To his utter surprise that wasn't the end of it. To the north-east corner of the room, there was a small staircase that led down to another room resembling a dungeon the very same size of his room. Examining the shelves, cupboards and the sturdy tables that came along with the splendid ventilation system installed, Harry assumed that this room had been specially designed with the intention of allowing students to have a small potions lab of their own. It seemed that this school gave substantial importance to self-study and Harry couldn't have been happier with the room he had been allotted.

He found his familiar soundly asleep on his bed. Selene was nowhere in sight, but he could feel her presence nearby. Deciding quickly upon his next course of action, Harry took his trunk out of his pocket and enlarging it with a muttered spell, proceeded to unpack. It didn't take him too long, within an hour he had most of his belongings nicely arranged; his clothes in the wardrobe, various tomes he'd brought with him on the shelves beside his study table and all of his assortment of potions and ingredients nicely departmentalized in the cabinets of his potion's room. He had found a nice spot for the ancient bonsai tree as well, placing it in a vacant corner of the room right beside the large window which led to the garden. He had even managed to enlarge it a fair bit to a decent size in a way that would complement his room. Selene would later enchant it into a nice little tree house for herself once she found the time.

Harry realised that he was already starting to grow fond of his little garden which came with the room. Besides a breath-taking view of the valley below, it came with a soft lawn, and he knew that Selene would love it. It wasn't particularly large, but it would be rather useful for herbology and could serve as a steady source of ingredients if he really put some effort into it. He'd leave that to Selene. He idly wondered if she could conjure a nice little cave to one corner of the garden for his familiar. Perhaps she could enchant it to be larger on the inside as well, like one of those camping tents his father had. He would bring it up with her once she returned from her excursions of the valley.

His thoughts were interrupted by a soft knock on his door.

"You may enter, the door's unlocked," Harry answered, wondering whom it might be.

Alice opened the door and gracefully stalked in, her eyes scrutinizing every detail of the room.

"I was aware, but the wards necessitate you give me permission to access your room." She casually stated.

Harry raised an eyebrow at that. He had yet to read the book left to him residing on his study table. Besides his course material, it surmised all the do's and don'ts among other important matters.

"Well, that's…convenient."

"Don't get too comfortable. They only last until you turn fifteen. You'll have to erect your own wards once you do." She stated as she made herself comfortable on one of his couches.

"It seems acceptable, I'm confident that I'll have learnt enough within the next four years to be able to ward my own room."

"I'd be careful with who I'd permit access to my room. Permission once granted may not be revoked." Alice drawled, eyeing him with a sultry smile. Razor-sharp fangs glistening in the light.

That smile of hers sent shivers down his spine.

"Right…" Harry muttered, inwardly cursing himself. He definitely needed to read that book before he did anything else.

"So, what brings you to my humble abode?" He asked, barely masking his sarcasm.

"Why, I've come to get to know my neighbour better of course!" She declared.

"Neighbour?" Harry asked weakly, a sense of dread slowly filling him as her words began to sink in.

"Neighbour." She confirmed. "My room is right next door." She supplied, with a winning smile.

* * *

 **Author's Note –**

It's been a while…I'm sorry I've disappeared for so long. I wasn't sure how to proceed with the story, lacked the motivation for it and well…life has kept me busy. However, I am back now. I hope the next update won't take as long as this one did. Thanks,  
Ineffably Serene


	8. Chapter 8 - The Easy Way Out?

Chapter 8 – The Easy Way Out?

The doctrines that guided the principles upon which Beauxbatons functioned reminded Harry very much of the city-state Sparta of Ancient Greece. It was a school that maximised military proficiency at all cost with a heavy focus on a rigorous regime of education, training and military excellence.

This was no ordinary magical school. The institution had in its own way, adopted the regimes of agōgē. From the very day students were inducted into their classes, they were plunged into a world of violence manufactured by centuries of militaristic society to raise the finest of sorcerers to walk the face of the earth. The educational system was nothing short of ruthless; driving its students to adapt and fast to the extreme, forcing them to stand their ground and fight at everything that is mercilessly thrown their way. Those disobedient would find themselves punished by rod, lash and magic. Students here were taught to show no pain, show no mercy, taught never to surrender to weakness, and would find themselves constantly tested. They were exposed to an environment where they'd be compelled to learn to fight, survive and thrive or die trying.

Besides the fact that the words of a teacher were law, there was just one major rule in the institution. Killing was not permitted upon the school grounds and anyone that tried, wouldn't survive the magical backlash of the ancient wards.

Apart from that, it was but a free for all. Anyone above the age of fifteen was considered an adult and expected to fend for themselves; they had toward their own room, fight their own fights, heal their own wounds. Their lives were their own responsibility, and teachers rarely interfered. However, those below the age of fifteen were under the watch of the teachers. They were allowed access to the healing ward where most of their major wounds would be tended to. When it came to disputes, students were not allowed to initiate any form of physical or magical assault on any other student that was younger than them in terms of age.

At least he was safe from any harm Alice could possibly have inflicted upon him for the next four years. The thought made him sigh in relief. His gaze left the book he was reading to settle upon the girl in question. The annoying vampire had made herself comfortable on his couch, a book in one hand while the other was idly indulging the whims of his familiar that way lying beside her looking awfully content with the attention she was receiving.

Almost sensing his gaze upon her, her eyes met his, blood red lips curling up into a barely noticeable smirk. Harry frowned. It had been two hours since he had made that fatal blunder of allowing her into his room and so far, she had shown no signs of leaving any time soon.

Averting his eyes from her alluring gaze with the shake of his head, he returned to the book he had been reading. Her vampiric powers were awfully enthralling, and he refused to let her distract him. He was now very grateful for all the time his head of house spent working on his Occlumency. Without it, he would have been left a complete mess. There was no way he would have stood a chance of surviving a place such as this.

He read over the various courses the school had to offer, scrutinising the details of each course and highlighting the ones that interested him. Physical Training, Healing, Transfiguration, Conjuration, Battle Magic, Ancient Runes, Magical Creatures, Herbology, and Potions were mandatory classes. Besides these classes that he needed to attend until he turned fifteen, there were several electives that he could choose from. For this year, he decided to opt for Blood Magic, Wards, and Martial Arts Training and Warrior Training.

There were other classes that had crossed his mind such as Hunting and Tracking, Archery, Language, Necromancy among several others. Some classes needed prerequisites, such as Necromancy and Soul Magics requiring students to have completed the initial course of Blood Magic and so on, but as of now Harry knew that he had enough on my plate with the courses he had picked, and if the need be, he could always opt into another class of his interest in the years to come. However, in the case that he failed the entrance test to any of his currently selected electives, he could then consider another alternative.

Having selected his electives, Harry set his book aside, his attention returning to the unwelcomed guest in his living quarters.

"Have you decided on your electives?" He asked, curiously.

"I have." She answered, still reading her book. He patiently waited for her to elaborate, but it seemed she had answered his question to her satisfaction.

He realised that prying would be pointless, for she didn't seem like she'd be forthcoming with an answer. But he seriously hoped that she hadn't picked the same electives he had.

"I think I have as well." He stated, wondering why he was attempting to make conversation at all.

"I know."

Harry levelled a scowl at the smug girl knowing it wouldn't do any good, but he was annoyed all the same. She never lifted her eyes off her book but that annoying smirk of hers had resurfaced.

Done with any reading he could possibly need to do for the time being, he rose from his chair by the study table. Making sure that both of his familiar's bowls were considerably filled with water and milk respectively, he decided that it was time to leave for his respective classrooms to opt-in for the electives chosen.

"Let's leave, I'd like to opt into my courses and get it over with," Harry said.

"Go on ahead, I'll do so later, there's ample time left."

Harry turned to stare back at her incredulously. She didn't seem to want to leave even with him not being here.

"This is my room." He stated slowly, putting a great deal of emphasis on the word my.

"Don't you have your own?"

She glanced at him with mild amusement, sinking deeper into the couch if possible, and returned to her book.

"Oh, you have got to be kidding me…" Harry muttered as he headed for the door.

"See you later darling!" She called after him.

Harry suppressed a groan of frustration, closing the door behind him with a bit more force than he was used to.

To his relief, his day seemed to go well enough from there on out. Surprisingly, their test to see if they were able to opt into a class and if so, what level of the class they should be in, went easily enough. The test served the basic purpose of judging if the student had the aptitude for the course, and Harry was rather pleased with the fact that he had performed better than he'd initially expected.

Once he was done, he had spent the rest of the day exploring the castle and a bit of the grounds below. The main entrance to the school came in the form of a road that led directly into the mountain, under the school. The entire entrance to the mountain if need be could be magically sealed with thick magically reinforced and resistant obsidian rock. The school really did take its defense seriously.

There was so much to the school that even after an entire day's exploration, he still hadn't managed to see everything yet. Time flew by rather quickly and soon enough it was time for dinner. The students were quick to assemble into the dining hall and settle into their seats. The teachers it seemed were already waiting. Dinner was a quiet affair; the new students not wanting to draw any attention to themselves ate their food in silence. The older students were nowhere to be seen. Perhaps they were to arrive later tonight, or the following morning.

Once supper had ended, the Headmistress Astraea Nightshade rose from her chair and ascending the podium, addressed the students.

"Tonight, is a very special night for each and every one of you, for it brings with it the dawn of an opportunity, an opportunity which you shall only come across once in your life. A dawn upon which you must decide whether it is you choose to return to leading an ordinary life or forego it all and submit yourself to the Beauxbatons way. This, my children, is no typical educational institution. This is the birthplace of the world's strongest warriors. This is Beauxbatons Academy of Magic. An institution where you shall be boys turned to men through the sacrifice and forge of combat." She paused, making sure to drive her point home.

"Today is a privilege to call our own. You now know what lies ahead, should you choose to turn your back upon such a regime, I give you time until morning. You are free to leave, and none shall judge you for this is no laughing matter, this is survival of the fittest and you will put your very lives on the line. But stay, and you will be baptised in the fires of combat. Trained by the greatest teachers within their respective fields, who will expect from you, nothing but your very best and mould you into the strongest, sharpest, and the most proficient individuals in your respective fields." She proclaimed, making eye contact with each and every one of them while making her speech.

"Your classes officially start tomorrow with your first class starting at six in the morning. You will find your timetable upon your study table by morning. From now, until the time you feel you are ready or by the time you turn fifteen, whichever comes first. Your sole aim at Beauxbatons is to prepare yourself for your initiation. Your initiation into adulthood. Where you shall find yourself tossed into the wild of this grand forest, left to pit your wit and will against nature's fury. Where you shall return to us, a true apprentice of this prestigious institution…or not at all." Having said what she had to say, she descended the podium and left the hall the other teachers following in her stead.

The silence that followed was truly deafening. This was serious, her statement couldn't be any clearer. They were going to be preparing to make their way back to the school through an incomprehensibly vast forest which was host to some of the deadliest mythical creatures alive or die trying.

The very thought of such an endeavour had Harry's heart racing. This was madness. He had read the course material and the expectations that came with it, it was going to be all kinds of hell and he now found himself in two minds. He knew he wasn't going to be the only one. He could leave now, and it would all be a forgotten story. His family would get him admission into Hogwarts in no time, and he could join Rose and study alongside her without any possible threat to his life. From all his father's stories, he knew that it would be a walk in the park.

So, it all boiled down to whether he was willing to submit himself to this ruthless and if he was, to be honest with himself rather orthodox teaching style where there a high chance of him getting himself killed or was he ready to settle for the easy way out. At least he had the entire night to decide.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

Finally got the next chapter out of the way. This gives you guys a little more insight into what Beauxbatons is going to be like. If you haven't already realised, yes it's going to have its fair share of humans, but I'm going to make it a point to add all the other races to the school as well, Vampire, Werewolves, Veela and so on...If you have any ideas for races I should include, let me know?

What do you guys think of the idea to the school so far? I'm hoping to give it a real badass vibe, I hope to pull it off.

Quite a few of you have raised questions regarding Harry being raised by the Black family and all the mystery behind it. If you've noticed, some writers just reveal all the secrets of the entire plot within the first two chapters itself. Where's the mystery that leaves writers wondering 'how on earth did that happen?' 'What exactly is the truth to all this going on? 'Why did it happen in the first place?' 'When and how will he find out?' It don't want to make it some big mystery, it really isn't one. But I'd like to ease into it slowly, with the way Harry along with all you readers learn of the truth.

However as suggested to me by **UncensoredPineapple** and **Vampireking40** , I'll try adding context to that in little snippets as the story progresses.

 **Fee-fi-fo-fum** and **Bombman** , I'm so glad you recognised it! the Inheritance Cycle is the first I've ever read. Harry's relationship with his wolf familiar will be based off Eragon's link to Saphira. It is my way of paying tribute to my all time favourite series. I'm even considering adding Cristopher Paolini's version of the elves to this story going to Beauxbatons. I'm not sure though, what do you guys think of it?

As for the wolf, thank you Guest. Aurora seems like a really nice name for her. It's almost fitting. If I don't come across any other suggestions that might be more apt, Aurora it is!

Thank you,  
Serinity


End file.
